Infernity Mirage

XXXIII: Sorrowful Chain

"Starlight Road!"

From the darkened skies that seemed so much like the turbulent night, already everyone was looking up as it began to fall from the sky.

"Snow...?" I heard Ryuusei murmur. "No..."

"Glitter?" Rex snorted.

"No... stardust!" Ayame yelled. "This is stardust!"

The dust fell like a shroud or a veil over the Judgement Dragon, its keening roars dying as the veil grew thicker and more prevalent, almost like a cloak... or a burial shroud, choking it to death... a grim reaper in white.

Some horribly analogy if there ever was one...

"Judgement Dragon... is dying..."

"We're not being destroyed... we're not being destroyed!"

"We're saved! We've saved!"

"Starlight Road... must summon Stardust..." the Professor murmured as he produced a card. Head craned, wings spread, true power in every sinew depicted... he laid it on the board of the DuelDisk.

Sail-like wings of white, leathery and draconic, serpentine neck craned out, glittering white and blue like a shooting star... Stardust Dragon has arrived.

"Our salvation...?"

"That dragon... the legendary Signer Dragon, Stardust Dragon!"

The dragon gave a loud roar that shook everyone, as a curtain seemed to fall again.

"Stardust..." the Professor whispered as he glanced to Dharc. "So that's your wish..."

"You...!" An incensed Celestia was charging, attacking the Familiar-Possessed with al her not-insignificant power, her wings and robes in disarray from the power of her swings. "How dare you! All because of you, and that prophecy...! We are Lightsworn! We cannot fall! We must reach the Light!"

"At the cost of everyone?" Dharc cried out as he feebly defended. "No power..."

"You're the one fated to kill me? You're weak! Weak!" Celestia laughed, her powers growing as the earth cracked about them. "Who'd ever think of that? Just die!"

Stardust Dragon roared overhead, right as the Professor drew a card...

Clunk. Staff met staff as Dharc blocked what would have been the finishing blow.

"W- What...?"

A veil of stardust fell over Dharc, those black eyes shining once more, his body glowing with power...

"True, I may be weak... I may not match up to you... but I am free! I will fight to protect everyone!" Dharc yelled as Celestia was knocked back and he swung his staff...

…a tear fell as power gathered, and energy crackled in it...

… "...goodbye."

A fatal blow to the heart that Celestia fell from, her wings draped and broken. "No... this filthy world... the Light... I don't understand."

"It's fine," Dharc answered. "I don't quite get it myself. But, someone showed me the light. So... it'll just be a while."

"A while..." Celestia echoed numbly as she dissolved into a shower of gold dust, right as the skies broke open to pour rain over the now calming square.

"Celestia... is dead?"

"He did it...! Celestia is killed!"

"Rain...?"

"Rain..." Kuraz murmured as it pattered over all of us. "A rain that washes away the blood of battle... and allows us to open to a new start...?"

"Rain?" Dharc's eyes widened as a chorus of Spirit of the Breeze began to sing. "This rain... it's warm..."

"A rain of mercy," Kaido said right as Stardust Dragon began to dissolve. "A rain of mercy to show that the battle is over..."

Clouds had begun to drift apart, the rain was dying, and there was light. So much light that shone done to illuminate the Luminous Spark, that even the Shine Palace seemed even more brilliant than ever, even the ruined square was picturesque yet bloody...

"The Lightsworn are gone!"

"We're free... we're free!"

"We're safe!"

"We won! We won! We won!"

"The legend of Starlight Road... it was true! Stardust Dragon...!"

Overhead, a large cloud seem to drift over the light, as we all looked up to see a multitude of demons flying through the air, headed somewhere... and a pair of crimson eyes winked right as the white-haired figure leading them looked down...

"Youkai!" I called.

"That guy!" Ryuuki growled, clutching at his arm. "Black Magician, can you hit him?"

"Youkai-san..." Ayame murmured.

"That shitty bastard..." Satsuki sourly muttered.

"To the Temple of Kings, men!" the leader called, clearly audible. "Follow my lead!"

"So... why are we in the Shine Palace?" Rex asked as we were cooped in the great hall, while bandaging his knuckles. It was outfitted with high ceiling, long table, high-backed chairs that looked hard but were curiously comfortable, and we were all injured or scuffed to one way or another, if not exhausted to the bone already. "I mean, we saved the city and all, but we're really in a hurry. Or did that fact become conveniently forgotten?"

"There's no helping it," the Professor sighed as he bandaged Ryuuki's arm, a cut glimmering along his face Marker. "Having too many people in a group would result in this. We were so quickly surrounded because we look human, after all..."

"So, we traded off speed for power..." Shimotsuki looked plenty disgruntled as she tended to her hand. Compared to her, the rest of us seemed to have gotten off easy; her hand resembled something that had gone through the grinder, and the sickening sound of cracking bone was clearly audible as Shimotsuki was resetting the bones in her left hand with assistance from Kaido and a slightly green-faced Satoshi. The Axe of Despair on the table in front of her gave us some pretty good idea of what she had done, there was no explanation needed fro the blood along its blade. Satoshi himself got off with minimal cuts from Aurkus, and Kaido looked fairly uninjured if winded.

"This architecture is intriguing," Kaido was taking notes of the great hall the guards dumped all of us in. "How so many different architecture styles can exist within such a relatively concentrated area is most fascinating-"

"That's what you're focused on?" We all yelled at him.

Satoshi was laughing again. "Just like Kaido, really!"

"I don't mean to be intrusive, but how do you know Kaido-san?" Ryuusei asked.

"Oh, we were in university together," Satoshi was smiling. "Actually, we worked together on his thesis. Because at that time I was working with the tourism bureau, so I got him into many historical sites..."

Blatant favouritism...!

"His dates would probably end up the same each time," Satoshi continued. "Somehow, they'd pass by a shrine and then he'd be occupied with dating it, of all things. Do you have any idea how many dates have been ruined that way? Especially if it's Inari shrines..."

Yeah, we get it...

"I don't want to hear that from you, disappearing bastard," Kaido grumbled. "Anyway, this castle has a way longer history than you. I'll never get tired of its stories, unlike certain people."

Exactly what kind of bad blood happened between them I have no clue, but I can recognise jabs when I hear it...

"Kaido, stop baiting the man," Shimotsuki drawled as finally, the highly abused appendage was bandaged into sterile white with help from Uncle, also relatively uninjured. Kagari and Lyna were also uninjured, compared to Dharc, who had had bits of him more or less mummified by Uncle and currently half-asleep from the alcohol left with us with Milla fussing over him, Jain and Lyla, who had sustained injuries as well.

"... understood, Boss," Kaido sighed. "Then, when am I going to be promoted?"

"Who knows," Shimotsuki conversationally answered as if her meat-grinder hand hardly bothered her. Maybe it did not; for all I knew, Shimotsuki Setsuka might have a legendary pain threshold. "I was thinking of Bishop. Ryuusei, what do you think? After all, you are the Black Knight."

"If you think so," Ryuusei submitted. "But... are we even supposed to discuss this here?"

"True," Shimotsuki owned as the doors opened to admit the... a smaller, leather-clad figure.

"Jii-chan!" Ryuuki stood up as Yuugi Mutou strolled in with Kuraz as if he owned the place.

Uncle shot up immediately. "Why is a hikari here!"

Even with a younger face, the man's true age seemed betrayed in the depth of his violet eyes. "Ryuuki... Yusei-kun, Johan-kun. Sorry it took so long to locate you all... I heard about the Battle of Shine Palace. Starlight Road, very nice. Congratulations to all of you. Are you alright?"

"Some injuries, nothing we would not recover from," Shimotsuki answered, holding up her bandaged left hand and deliberately curving her fingers. Cracking bones sounded again, though everyone except from Shimotsuki herself seem to be discomfited. "Why are you here?"

"I am still a referee..." Yuugi Mutou quietly answered.

"Oh, yeah, Jii-chan," Ryuuki recalled. "I met a friend of yours called Ryou, and his partner, Bakura."

"Ryou? Bakura? Were you hurt?" Yuugi grew concerned. "I didn't want you to meet them at all..."

"They said... that I wasn't your grandson," Ryuuki quietly imparted. "They said that my blood wasn't part of the Mutou line."

"...oh, that," Yuugi laughed sheepishly. "You were young, and you have leukaemia. The only match was Anzu, so her bone marrow was transplanted to you. In a technical and physical sense, no, you don't have my blood."

"What! It's like that!" Ryuuki yelped as Yuugi hugged him. The difference in their heights were even more apparent now; Yuugi Mutou was clearly way shorter than his grandson.

"But, to me, you're still my idiot grandson," Yuugi laughed, relieved. "I thought you'd died... I'm so glad."

"Jii-chan..." Ryuuki sniffed.

"Yuugi-san, why are you here?" the Professor asked.

"The Lord of Pandemonium has the Millennium Key, so it's very dangerous," Yuugi simply answered. "Even if these hands are tied, I can still give some advice. Kuraz also has words for all of you."

"We of the Luminous Spark owe our freedom to all of you travellers," Kuraz bowed deeply, his voice rumbling with sincerity and authority. "We will render all possible aid to you if needed. Please, give this city a chance to return the large favour you have done for us."

"Our aim was the Temple of Skulls, and then it changed to the Temple of Kings," the Professor considered. "What drove this change, Yuugi-san?"

"That... The Temple is where one of the strongest of the yami lives," Yuugi quietly answered. "That person lives with the Altar of Tribute. If you sacrifice something on the Altar, power is derived. Just like the card itself where a monster is sacrificed and you gain life points."

"Sacrificial rites seem to happen all the time," Kaido pointed out. "What's different here, King of Games? That's not just it... where does the Millennium Items factor in?"

"...Kuraz," Yuugi imparted.

"I understand," the Monarch whispered as he escorted Dharc, Lyna and a panicking Milla, Jain and Lyla out with the help of a few Hysteric Fairies and Banishers of the Radiance. The doors shut with pondering echoes as we all looked towards the one crowned King of Games.

"...I have no idea where to start," Yuugi confessed. "Well... humans forgot about magic in the beginning. That's why, with the Millennium Items, our employers unleashed them upon the earth once more... to make sure the cycle of pain repeats, to tie them and humanity's fate inextricably to the Games. Amongst the fourteen of you, thirteen were meant to die, and the last would survive but with that deep darkness within his heart... the cycle would inevitably continue as humans inflict pain on each other. That was the original plan... well, they didn't count on such a force of personality to stop them," he nodded towards Shimotsuki. "I thank you for saving my grandson and these young people, Shimotsuki Setsuka. But... now all of you must go to the Temple of Kings, and face down the Lord of Pandemonium... the criteria has changed to 'whoever gets the last item'. If either Ryuusei or Chase get it, they win a cursed gift. Who doesn't want that chance, after all...?"

He was right. If we had been dumb, we would've killed each other for it, challenged directly to Dark Games and sent souls of the lost to the Shadow Realm. To turn friends into enemies would... would have happened. As we hurt and are hurt, the cycle would have continued ad infinitum. Cynics could say that greed was the driving force. To get the Millennium Items and rule the world was a pipe dream, but a powerful dream, after all... a dream that none of us entertained and instead went to Shimotsuki for answers. What if, we had done things differently...?

"The yami of the Temple of Kings is the one who grants wishes," Yuugi quietly murmured. "With the Millennium Key, and the sacrifice of Misawa Daichi, I can only think that the Lord of Pandemonium intends to bind himself permanently to the Misawa bloodline, so that this senseless war would continue as the head of the opposing army rises from the grave every generation. Fear, pain, despair, hunger... the Lord of Pandemonium feeds on those. The boy that the Lord of Pandemonium took over is just a meat-puppet, to put it indelicately."

"I see..." Shimotsuki murmured as silence ensued at the end. "In that case, how long do we have?"

"Two days," Yuugi sadly answered. "The yami of the Temple of Kings... only I can bargain with him. Because... he is myself."

"Jii-chan... Jii-chan!" Ryuuki shouted as Yuugi Mutou faded into thin air, the pallor of death having shrouded us.

It's a funny thing, that although the threats to our lives were prevalent, and we had the injuries to prove it, none of us seemed rattled. Was it because of our fearless leadership...? Or, was it because we were Duellists? Our victories lay in the turn of a card, after all, surely we'd have been desensitised to risk. Even so, even with my life and those around me, I felt... thrilled. Like when Youkai hit me for the first time with his Psychic power... what did this say about me? I didn't mind pain, I hardly wanted those precious to me to die, but... the feeling of having my life at risk... it was exhilarating in a way normal life hardly was. There was no way normal people could understand...

… still, if there were parties like this one in the Shine Palace involved, someone, shoot me now.

A ridiculous Irish ditty began to play, from a Spirit of the Harp, a few Symphonic Warriors, and what looked like a Sonic Maid dancing. The party itself was more of a festival, the hall opened to the public. Right now, Ryuusei and Rex were pushing the Professor to let them at the drinks that seemed to contain way more alcohol than was appropriate for minors, while the rest were arguing with Shimotsuki, Satoshi, Johan and Kaido about drinking in Japan. Dharc and Lyna, publicly lauded as heroes with Milla, were enjoying themselves, as much as injured people could.

"Drinks?"

"Aren't you the guest of honour?" I snarked to Dharc, who was serving us with a straight face.

"Yes, but..." Dharc frowned again. "I owe so much to the cold queen and Kaido-san. They showed me a path I hadn't thought possible..."

I suddenly had a thought. "Why do you call Shimotsuki the cold queen? And, why do you address her differently?"

"Eh?" Dharc blinked. "I see... you didn't know. The lady is the partner of Prince Dewloren of the Ice Barrier tribe, admittedly the most powerful of the four great powers of the region through time. Although their fame was eclipsed by the Lightsworn, the Ice Barrier of the north are extremely powerful. That's why, to us Duel spirits, the lady is actually a Queen."

"Is that even possible!" I yelped. "For Duel Monsters to be ruled by humans..."

"Humans, even People Running About, hold a great power we cannot access," Dharc answered. "That power overrules us to accept them."

"Dharc, please take it easy," Kagari walked up to me, admittedly nervous even in formal wear as he surreptitiously watched Uncle down tankard after tankard. "Chase-dono, good evening."

"Good evening," I nodded in answer. "Oh, yeah, Kagari, what do you intend to do with Dharc and Lyna?"

"They have formally requested to be released from the service of the Shogunate," Kagari shortly answered. "Without pay, but with the talks of an embassy being created, I believe that we might employ them there instead. Also, Uncle has begun discussions with Kuraz-dono concerning trade links between our two territories. Although this is a new experience to me, I felt very much happy. Because, even though we were at risk, it was the first time that I had realised... that the world is full of possibilities. I want to tell Shien-sama about all of these things!"

"Good for you," I honestly answered. Even if Kagari was attractive, hearing him talk about Shien pretty much killed any potential sexual attraction that might have arisen.

"What about Chase-dono?" Kagari asked as Rex began making noise and the Professor looked on the verge of giving in. Kaido had given up, already vanishing away into the crowd, and Satoshi was also nowhere to be seen. Kuraz was engaged in a talk with Shimotsuki and a laughing Uncle, and Ayame looked slightly tipsy on her binge with Ryuuki and Satsuki. For their sakes, I hoped that they remained sensible enough, even as Johan was the sober guy around.

"It's... fine, I guess," I volunteered. "Sorry, I have to go find the washroom."

In contrast to the open hall, the rest of the castle seemed shrouded in shadows, some dim light filtering through the windows to illuminate the hallways in greys and whites. On the way back, I spotted a curtain fluttering, and the edges of Kaido's glasses... wait, Kaido?

"So, what's this about a pawn?" Satoshi's drawl was clearly audible as I hid behind a corner nervously.

"I swore myself in service to Boss," Kaido simply answered. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Like hell! Why?" Satoshi hissed. "I... we, we could've helped you! The Arcadia Movement is an organisation stained in secrecy... we would've helped you!"

"Satoshi... the pasts of everyone clings like echoes of darkness that we couldn't run away from, you know? True, I thought it was ideal, but I began to see everything. I was about to be hated, pushed away, I didn't want to see the repeating histories without variation... I wanted to find out the other side of it, everything, the secrets of the past that lies hidden in a veil of darkness. The Arcadia Movement found me, and she appeared. When I saw this girl, who still stood living and helping even with her own horrific past, it was like... finally, the light had dawned. 'Become mine, Ariyashi Kaido', she said. 'I will show you the other side of that hill'."

He sighed. "Perhaps, if you were around, I might not have sided with the daughter of that woman, but fate seems to choose differently. I took her hand, and I have never regretted that choice."

"She's the ice queen," Satoshi growled. "You know what I told you about it... no, her. A queen of the dark and cold, who can only use you as a servant."

"It sounds so much like the story of the Snow Queen, and it seems like I am playing the part of Kay," Kaido answered as I heard footsteps. "So, are you Gerda?"

Satoshi growled. "Kaido, you..."

"You know, those wounds can be treated with aloe," Kaido remarked. "I feel rather exhausted myself. Good night."

I blinked as I quietly sidled back to the party in full swing. What just happened?

"Chase!" Ryuusei waved from the table.

"You're still a minor!" I roared as Rex collapsed, his face red. "Never again..." he was moaning. "Oh, Ryuusei. What's a pawn?"

Ryuusei blinked, twitching towards Shimotsuki before giving me a look. "Let's go back first."

We ended up dragging Rex and Ryuuki along, dumping them on the beds and panting by the side.

"Psychic Duellists... they face many hardships as well," Ryuusei mumbled. "Even in Neo Domino, hatred and distrust of us continue, although not many cases have appeared. But, to combat the problem of the history of the Arcadia Movement, Shimotsuki is effectively battling against two fronts, those who hate Psychic Duellists, and those who do nothing about the problem. It's a metaphorical game of chess, with the Arcadia Movement against the world, and the pawns are her lowest pieces. There are other classes as well; knights takes the offensive, rooks the defensive, and bishops subtly manage the boards by their wide influence to transverse the board. The pawn... that is the lowest class of her agents. Psychic Duellists with nothing more to live for, they are given a purpose to work for and live, even if it's for the Arcadia Movement. It is a crutch... a way for those disillusioned to slowly find their own way."

"I... see..." I mumbled. "There can't be that many depressed Psychic Duellists, right?"

"Those who find their meaning to live become promoted, just like pawns," Ryuusei continued. "But, there is only one queen."

"Then... who's the king?" I asked.

"The Arcadia Movement... those people who can finally start over, that is the 'king'," Ryuusei confirmed. "That's why, as a leader, Shimotsuki's motivation is admirable."

A queen of the dark and cold, who can only use you as a servant...

It sounds so much like the story of the Snow Queen... So, are you Gerda?

Now that we had a definite location, we set out to it quickly, the air restless even as we stood at the gates of the Luminous Spark, fully aware that we may never return.

"This is where we part ways," Shimotsuki told Kagari and Uncle.

"These days have been agreeably educational, thank you." Kaido bowed to them.

Uncle gave a harsh laugh. "You are a terrible salesman! But you are a good teacher, I will admit." He looked around. "Where to?"

"Thank you for everything," Kagari bowed politely. "Uncle and I will travel with Dharc and Lyna back to the Shogunate, do not worry about us. If fate permits, may we meet again."

"You guided us here, thank you," Ayame smiled.

"Fates guide you!" Uncle called as we finally left.

"Wait!" We turned to see a panting Familiar-Possessed Dharc and Lyna there. "My lady, Kaido-san... thank you! Thank you for everything! I'll never forget this kindness! That's why, if our paths cross again... may I call you Sensei?"

Kaido saluted with two fingers to his temple. "Do whatever you want. You're free to decide, right?"

"Y- yes!" Dharc happily waved. "I'll become a good person! For helping us rescue Milla-nee, for giving us this treasure... thank you! For showing us the world outside the darkness, thank you! This treasure, I can't repay it! That's why... thank you, Sensei!"

Even in the bittersweet victory as the Monogatari headed west, light had burst out to illuminate this kingdom, this kingdom with its suddenly free citizens joyous and proud and laughing... like they had found the radiance to illuminate their world. Surely, we could see it too... the path onward towards the sun.

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